By Esat Firat

JERUSALEM (AA): Dozens of  settler Jews accompanied by Israeli police on Thursday stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

Some 120 Jews raided Haram al-Sharif from the Al-Maqaribe (Moroccans) Gate southwest of the flashpoint mosque, the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf said in a statement.

Protected by the Israeli police, the group left the sacred site after wandering in the courtyard of Haram al-Sharif.

On May 23, over 250 Jews entered Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for the first time in about three weeks. Such raids by Jews on Haram al-Sharif escalate tension in the region.

The Israeli police had not allowed Jews to enter Haram al-Sharif due to Palestinian resistance since May 4, as tension was building over Israel’s continued mistreatment of Palestinians.

The Palestinian Foreign Ministry said the raid undermined efforts to strengthen the cease-fire reached by Israel and Palestinian resistance groups nearly a week ago.

The Egyptian-brokered cease-fire took effect last Friday, putting an end to 11 days of the worst fighting in years.

At least 254 Palestinians were killed, including 39 women and 66 children, and more than 1,900 others were injured in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar

[Photo: Jewish settlers raid on Al-Aqsa Compound in East Jerusalem under Israeli forces protection earlier on May 23, 2021. Photo: Stringer/AA]